ESCONDIDO  For most of her life, Tracy Gates has been home-schooled, but her vision has been worldwide.

A senior at Escondido Charter High, the 5-foot-9 Gates can still take classes at home with an option to sit in a classroom occasionally at Escondido Charter or even at Palomar College.

But clearly she wants to see the world.

And help the world in a real way. Not just talk about aiding an underdeveloped or war-torn country, but actually going there and trying to make someone else’s life better.

Q: How long have you had this ambitious dream?

A: I’ve had this in my mind for a while now. I love science and I would like to use that to help people in places who can’t help themselves.

Q: Do you know where you would like to work after college?

A: I want to visit everywhere. Most of my friends think it’s a cool idea. I haven’t gotten any negative feedback. My church friends are really excited.

Q: Are you going to be gone the rest of your life or will you come home once in a while?

A: I think I’ll come home from time to time.

Q: As someone who has been home-schooled most of her life, what are your plans for college?

A: I’m going to Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. I like the idea of finally traveling. I’m kind of an adventurous person anyway. I want to go away and experience the college life and live in a dorm. You know kind of blaze my own trail.

Q: Are your parents ready for your world tour to begin next fall?

A: I think my parents are a little sad. I know my mom will be the saddest one even though I have one older brother and three younger siblings.

Q: When did you start swimming?

A: When we moved to Washington, I had a friend who was already into swimming, so I followed her. I’ve been on a competitive swim team for five years now and I did not-so-very-serious swim stuff for nine years before that.

Q: When did you move back to California?

A: Five years ago. We moved around a lot when I was younger, so moving is no big deal.

Q: Wasn’t that right around the time Escondido Charter started a swimming team?

A: My freshman year was the first year. I joined the team the next year after swimming for the Inland Coastal Aquatic Club.

Q: What event is your favorite?

A: In high school it is the 500 (yard) freestyle. My best time is 5:14. In club, I prefer the longer distances, too. My best time in the 1,650 freestyle is 17:59 and in the 1,000 freestyle it’s 10:41.

Q: Why do you like the long distances so much?

A: I’ve never been good at sprinting. I seem to hold my pace better the longer the race goes on.

Q: Was swimming always your favorite sport or did you try other sports?

A: Softball, gymnastics, basketball and I did volleyball my first year at Charter. I’m not flexible enough now for gymnastics.

Q: Do you ever wonder what it would be like to swim for a traditional team with an on-campus pool and more teammates?

A: Competing against bigger teams makes me swim a little harder, but I have wondered what that would be like. I think traditional school would get old for me. I wouldn’t mind the social part, but I like the individualized academics at Charter. Every day is something new. I can stay home and study, go to school or take a class at Palomar College.

Q: Do you have any hobbies?

A: I love to bake — zucchini bread and banana bread.

Q: Are you planning to swim in college?

A: It’s my thing. I don’t even mind the 5 a.m. workouts two or three times a week. I’ve become oblivious to the smell of chlorine, that’s how long I’ve been swimming.

TRACY GATES

School: Escondido Charter

Sport: Swimming

Born: 1994 in Tucson

Year: Senior

Accomplishments: First-team All-Valley League in 2012

QUICK HITS

Who would you put on speed dial: Missy Franklin, the band OneRepublic

Favorite pizza: Hawaiian

Sport you would never watch: Boxing

If you could have a last meal: Huge Mexican burrito

Dream vacation: Great Barrier Reef in Australia

If you had three wishes, what would you wish for: Be the best I can be in swimming, travel the world, help improve the world

If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future: Past

Favorite restaurant: Lupita’s

What do you want to be when you grow up: Research biologist in Third World country